Five Reasons Why Grand Alliance Won in Bihar

Here are the top five reasons that led to Grand Alliance winning over BJP in Bihar Elections could be:

1)    Caste combination:

Two formidable caste leaders Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad Yadav came together to forge a  winning combination. The BJP could not breach the Yadav-Kurmi-Muslim combination.

2)    Chief Ministerial face

Nitish Kumar, surprisingly did not face anti-incumbency factor as electorate had good memories of his tenure.  BJP did not project a local leader as candidate.

3)    Bihari Vs Bahari debate

Grand alliance capitalised on lack of NDA’s CM candidate to create local versus outsider debate to counter PM Narendra Modi’s appeal. This also meant national issues counted in Bihar.

4)    Highlighted issues like Reservation, intolerance, beef

Nitish-Lalu combine managed to create a poll narrative around these issues to counter BJP’s development agenda. BJP walked into the trap to talk in the same language.

5)    No show by Pappu-Owaisi factor

Pappu Yadav, a RJD MP broke away from the party to form a new party to dent Yadav votes to help BJP. MIM’s Asaduddin Owaisi could manage only 0.2 percent votes.

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